KARACHI, March 1: At a literary reference held for the noted researcher, poet and columnist late Mushfiq Khawaja on Monday, the speakers recalling his great contribution in literature emphasized the need to preserve the invaluable reference material , he had left behind.

Dr Farman Fatehpuri who chaired the proceedings, held by Academy Adbiat Pakistan, said that Mr Khawaja was in his person an 'adbi internet' with the wealth of knowledge and was always equipped to provide answer to any question on language and literature.

His library which he zealously maintained was perhaps the best house of knowledge in Urdu world, but the most important was the maintenance of his manuscripts, letters and clippings, Dr Farman said and emphatically demanded that it must not go outside Karachi.

Among others Jamiluddin Aali, Dr Tahir Masood, Dr Hanif Fauq and Ali Haider Malik also spoke on the occasion who found Mushfiq Khawaja an imminent prose writer and a hardworking researcher.

Jamiluddin Aali could only express his deep sense of grief and remembered his lifelong association with the late academician and his family as also his selfless services for the Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu.

Dr Tahir Masood, in a brief paper, skilfully covered the most phases of his life personal features and major literary work. He said Khawaja Saheb was the "whole time writer", a disciplined person who shunned self projection and helped the needy writers in his silent ways, materially and also by providing literary assignments. He was not only a researcher but also a creative writer, expressing his genius in poetry and satirical columns, Tahir Masood observed.

Dr Hanif Fauq spoke at length works of Mushfiq Khawaja and the tremendous efforts he had made in his researches. For example, he had gone through 4,000 periodicals and pamphlets to compile his Farhang, and the two volumes of Khush-maarkai-Zeba by Saadat Ali Khawaja. But Mushfiq Khawaja's even more important work was the compilation of Yaas Yagana Changezis' life and works which took his 20 years in completion. His Tahqeeqnaama is a very important work, Dr Fauq said.

The simple yet fascinating prose Khawaja Saheb wore had no equal in Urdu literature. Dr Fauq felt that Mushfiq Khawaja was a notable poet as well and his poetry collection 'Abyat' an important book but his talents in poetry were eclipsed by other qualities.

A separate reference should be held on Khawaja's poetry, Dr Fauq said and recited some couplets from Abyat. The proceedings were concluded with a brief remark of thanks from Agha Noor Mohammad Pathan, the regional director of the Academy. Rashid Noor did the compering.